Fritz, Ada, and Marcelle found themselves in a jail near the center of the city. The captain of the guard was right beside them. Staring between the bars Fritz beheld his other two companions. Brenn and Neva were horribly hung over. Even in the orange candlelight of the dungeon, Fritz could see their green faces as they tried to sleep away the alcohol. Right in front of the cell, two guards were sprawled out on the floor unconscious. A set of red welts grew on their foreheads where they had been pulled into the iron bars. Behind them in other cells, leering or annoying prisoners had been attacked by whips of fire until peaceful quiet reigned in the underground jail. An undercurrent of fear twisted in the jail, with no one wishing to disturb the hungover beasts.

"She's already knocked out both guards." Gaspard said softly. "Would you be so kind as to handle your companion?"

"Shut up!" Neva yelled.

"Stop yelling, ugly." Brenn moaned as she clutched her temples. "My head is killing me."

"You shut up!" Neva spat back. "Last time I listen to you."

"I don't think I've ever looked that horrible after a night of drinking. Not even when I had to drink with Japanese salarymen."

"I will kill whoever speaks next." Neva threatened. Gaspard looked towards Fritz. His eyes begged for help.

"Don't. I have some hangover medicine. Do you want it?" Fritz asked with a sigh.

"Hurry up. Cupbearer."

"You are my favorite drunkard." Fritz replied wearily. Putting his arm through the iron bars he conjured the small bottle covered in Kanji. Neva and Brenn crawled towards Fritz. "The Japanese salarymen told me about this brand. They say it works great. I'm inclined to agree, even if it's not a miracle cure."

Neva swiped it out of his hands with a grunt. She pulled on the top of the bottle. Brenn groaned as she took her bottle.

"Twist it." Fritz said.

"Damn thing." Neva cursed, as she finally removed the cap and started downing the drink. "Sweet." She finally said. Brenn followed suit, drinking her medicine.

"Feeling better?"

"Little." Neva said. "Just a little. Gimme another."

"Same." Brenn said. Fritz complied handing over two more bottles.

"So?" Fritz asked as he looked back towards Gaspard. "Why are they behind bars?"

"They tried to go to a brothel."

"And? Wherein lies the issue? Were they too ugly to be on the premises?" Marcelle asked.

"Brenn is banned, for good reason mind you, from every brothel in the conclaves. Every brothel. Every house of ill repute. Every single one." Gaspard reminded them.

"I am starting to see where the issue lies." Fritz said.

"Yes, and when she tried to get in. She was turned away. Weren't you?" Gaspard asked.

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"Shut up." Brenn groaned. "Can you blame a girl for wanting to have some fun? I'm helping the Freyes' own champion, that has to cancel out the ban."

"Well, you getting turned away isn't the problem. You storming in afterwards with your friend and demanding to-" Gaspard cleared his throat. "'Get dicked down so hard, you cannot walk straight for weeks.' and then trying to fight the bouncers is the problem. Wouldn't you say?"

"My demands were simple. Easily understood. I have no idea why I couldn't get dicked."

"Thankfully, you two were too drunk to do too much damage." Gaspard replied.

"I'm very disappointed in you two." Fritz said shaking his head. "Really. Your setting a bad example for Ada and Marcelle."

"Screw you. Just get us out." Neva replied grumpily.

"Captain?" Fritz regarded the orange-haired foxkin. "What punishment awaits them?"

"Execution." Gaspard said blandly inspecting his nails.

"Execution?!" Fritz's breath caught in his throat. Ada tensed up reaching for her sword, as Marcelle grinned savagely.

"Haha. Kidding. Just get them out of here. I don't want them hurting any more of my men."

"Finally." Brenn said.

"Thank you, captain. If there's anything I can do-" Fritz barely finished his sente

The captain was quick to respond. Producing a letter, he shoved it into Fritz's chest.

"Talk with my brother. Javert is very interested to meet you. Maybe you can help him come up with an actual strategy? At least try and dissuade him from a head-on charge."

"Certainly. May I also impose on you something else?"

"Speak."

"I want to create some new weapons for the guards. Would you mind, If I borrowed them for in the upcoming weeks? I have some weapons I want to test." Gaspard's brows knitted for a moment.

"So long as they can continue their duties, I see no issue."

"Perfect."

"Then, I shall take my leave." Gaspard produced a set of keys. Confidently moving towards the cell he unlocked the doors opening the cell. Quickly turning on his heels he left the jail, barely giving the adventurers a second glance.

"Come on, you two. Let's get you something to eat." Neva and Brenn sighed as they got to their feet. Wobbling unsteadily they started following Fritz out of the underground jail. The guards stared with open hatred at Neva and Brenn as they left the jail.

"Let's get some food to help with your hangover."

"Meat's perfect. Just shove it down my hole." Brenn replied. Ignoring her, Fritz continued.

"I'll need to stop by a blacksmith soon. A cannon's too large to conjure on its own, and it should ideally be one solid piece. Hopefully they can create more than one in our remaining time."

"Shut up and conjure us some food, cupbearer." Neva groaned.

"I need to save my mana." Fritz said dismissively. He produced the letter. Tearing it open he read its contents.

"What's it say?" Ada asked curiously, peeking over his shoulder.

"The ruler of Hueryss wants to meet me. It's an invitation of sorts." Fritz replied.

"Don't bother, he's dumb as they come." Neva huffed.

Without waiting for Fritz to put the letter away, the two hungover beastkin shambled towards the nearest scent of food. Neva began patting her pockets looking for her pipe. Sighing, Fritz followed afterwards as he tried to remember where the nearest blacksmith was.

"That reminds me Marcelle, we should use my newfound prestige to raid the local alchemist shops." Marcelle's purple eyes narrowed at him. Beneath her long obscuring black hair, she looked as if she

"Minion. You pull upon the strings of my heart. That is an excellent idea." Marcelle said.

"Fritz. I need some tobacco." Neva grumbled. Fritz rolled his eyes. "Now."

"Fine." He threw her a cigar. "Ada, can you look after Neva and Brenn?"

"Let's eat and then leave. This city is doomed." Neva grumbled.

"Look around Neva." Fritz said. "We can make a difference here. We can help them." The graying beastkin merely frowned, as she lit her cigar. "The children don't deserve their fate. Neither do the elderly or infirm. I believe we're here for a reason. We can do some good."

"Shut up. My head is killing me."

"Not until you agree to stay." Fritz countered.

"Fine. Fine. Just shut up." Neva grumbled. The three beastkin walked away, as Fritz and Marcelle headed in a new direction. Walking beside the purple-tailed lamia in the early morning, he could feel her watching him.

"Whatever you were trying last night. Don't ever do that again."

"Hmmm. I have no idea what you mean, minion."

"Next time, the dose will be lethal Marcelle." Fritz did his best to ignoring the odd mumbling lamia next to him, as they continued walking.

Marcelle noticed something different in the way he walked. Did his shoulders become wider overnight? Idly she wondered what happened to the look of his gaze. Walking silently the two made their way to the Dandelion's shop.